Lostwithiel Duchy Palace

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Restormil; Raistormel

In the civil parish of Lostwithiel.
In the historic county of Cornwall (Modern Authority of Cornwall, 1974 county of Cornwall).

Range of buildings including a coinage hall, county court, stannary offices, prison and exchequer constructed in 1290. The coinage hall has been converted into a masonic lodge in 1878, the rest into warehouses, and dwellings.

This site has been described as a Palace. A high status manor house. That is a fundamentally domestic building of a high status person usual a bishop or member of the royal family. Usually more elaborate that a fortified manor but a small bishops palace, such as the one at Lyddington might be quite modest compared to a large fortified manor. All these high status building had some fortifications, if only to keep out thieves, but were probably not seen, even by the contemporary people, as being military buildings. Included in this definition, for the purposes of this site, are Royal hunting lodges. These could vary from sizable buildings, even castles, with courts and gaols to simple timber building providing short term accommodation.

The confidence that this site is a medieval fortification or palace is Certain.

Major remains.

This site is a Grade 1 listed building protected by law*. (Images of England number 70880, 70878, 70877)

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is SX104596

Modern Map from

Good for landscape form and features

Modern Map from

Good for general location

Air Photo from

1st edition OS Map from

Sources of information, references and further reading

PastScape number; 432153

Books
- Colvin, H.M., Brown, R.Allen and Taylor, A.J., 1963, The history of the King's Works Vol2: the Middle Ages (London: HMSO) p982-3
  Hext, F.M., 1891, Memorials of Lostwithiel p53-4
Journal Articles
- Pounds, N.J.G., 1979, 'The Duchy Palace at Lostwithiel, Cornwall' Archaeological Journal Vol136
  Whiteley, H.M., 1912-13, 'The Great Coinage Hall of Lostwithiel' Devon and Cornwall Notes and Queries Vol7 p225-32
Antiquarian (Histories and accounts from late medieval and early modern writers)
- William Camden, 1607, Britannia [http://www.philological.bham.ac.uk/cambrit/cornwalleng.html#cornwall1]
  Chandler, John, 1993, John Leland's Itinerary: travels in Tudor England (Sutton Publishing) p86

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The information on this web page may be derived from information compiled by and/or copyright of English Heritage and other individuals and organisations.

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The comprehensive gazetteer of the medieval fortifications and castles of Cornwall

With thanks to Philip Davis

Lostwithiel Duchy Palace

Range of buildings including a coinage hall, county court, stannary offices, prison and exchequer constructed in 1290. The coinage hall has been converted into a masonic lodge in 1878, the rest into warehouses, and dwellings.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is SX104596

Sources of information, references and further reading